Andover summer concert series

Warm nights and the sweet sound of acoustic gold drifting through the center of Andover can mean only one thing: the Andover Summer Concert Series has returned.

The 2015 edition of the Andover Summer Concert Series will kick off its season-long calendar of live events Friday, June 12 from 6 to 8 p.m. on the Andover Town Common in Andover, with a performance of original material by concert organizer Pete Coolidge. Free concerts will be held every two weeks throughout the summer, always on Friday nights starting at 6 p.m.

Throughout the summer, a host of various performers will take the stage to entertain the audience with acoustic music, according to Coolidge. “You’ll hear all sorts of genres, including folk, classic rock, easy listening, bluegrass, alternative, contemporary and everything in between.”

Attendees who enjoyed the 2014 performances will be excited to hear about the return of popular acts like the Robinson Family, Natalie and Kier Simmons and Seth Gallant. This year’s lineup promises to be as eclectic as the previous one. While several Friday groupings remain to be confirmed, the “core group” of Coolidge, Steve Simmons, brothers Mike and Tim Gallant, and John Emery will be mainstays in each performance and back up individual performers and other groups as they filter through.

The Andover Summer Concert Series has become a labor of love for Pete Coolidge, best known as the proprietor of Pete’s Hardware in Andover and a recent addition to the newly created Andover School District Board of Directors. A musician since the age of seven, Coolidge saw a recurring entertainment event in the heart of Andover as a way to both exhibit the talents of many local musicians and a way to turn a sleepy town loose several times a summer. “It is good for the town, and it is a great opportunity for people who like to perform to get in front of an appreciative audience,” noted Coolidge. “I can’t think of a better way to spend a Friday night!”

T-shirts and other merchandise will be on sale and “donations are always welcome.” Audience members are encouraged to bring “lawn chairs and bug spray.” For more information or to express interest in performing, contact Pete Coolidge at (207) 392-1028. Performance calendars will be available at Pete’s Hardware, located on Nevel Road in Andover.